Finding the right fit for your grant request
Flickr Photo by Horia Varlan
Finding the right grant program for your organization is not always easy. We recommend calling us to discuss the best grant program for the proposed need; here is a brief overview on the differences between some of our popular grant programs to help you navigate our grant programs.
Opportunity vs. Small Community Impact
If you recently incorporated as a nonprofit organization or are operating a pilot program, the Opportunity grant program might be a better fit than our Community Impact small grant program. The Opportunity grant program is for requests up to $5,000 and specifically looks to fund new or emerging nonprofits and programs. It can be helpful to start with an Opportunity grant to build a relationship and share the results from your program before applying to the very competitive Community Impact grant program.
Next Steps (for Small Nonprofits) vs. Community Impact
In 2016 we have a new (and one time only) grant program; Next Steps for Small Nonprofits. The Next Steps program provides operating and organizational development support, and it does also requires a serious commitment from volunteers which shouldn’t be taken lightly. If your organization is primarily focused on advancing your programs, the Community Impact grant program might be a better fit at this time. A small organization may apply for both Next Steps and the Community Impact grant program, but is only eligible to receive one grant. The application deadline for Next Steps is 5:00 PM Friday, March 4, 2016.
Community Impact vs. Small Community Impact
The decision on how much funding to apply for in our Community Impact Grant Program is ultimately up to your organization. Will $12,000 or less have an impact on your organization? Is your request for a focused population or geographic area, for example, farmworker families in Castroville or youth in King City? Consider applying for a Community Impact small grant if this is the case. If your program serves multiple areas and/or multiple age groups or a larger population, consider applying for a larger Community Impact grant. Please refer to this helpful table showing the differences and feel free to call to speak to your program officer to get out input. We are always happy to help!